The Celtics are giving two of their starters the evening off Monday in Milwaukee.
Coming off the primary finish of a back-to-back, Boston dominated out Jaylen Brown (sickness) and Neemias Queta (relaxation) for its street recreation towards the Bucks. Jayson Tatum (Achilles) additionally remained sidelined.
Queta delivered arguably the best performance of his NBA career Sunday evening towards Philadelphia, tallying 27 factors on 10-of-14 taking pictures, 17 rebounds, three blocks and one steal in 27 minutes because the Celtics received 114-98 at TD Backyard. Brown performed 38 minutes and had 27 factors, eight rebounds and eight assists.
Each have been among the many Celtics’ most vital gamers this season, with Brown posting career-best numbers in Tatum’s absence and Queta, a fourth-stringer final season, rising as a useful beginning heart. Queta entered Monday with the seventh-best particular person web ranking within the NBA.
“I’m more than happy simply to see his development,” Brown mentioned of Queta. “He’s been working exhausting all season lengthy. I’ve been in his ear speaking to him, and he’s finished an excellent job this yr. And I feel he has one other stage that he can faucet into, and I really feel like he’s beginning to faucet into that subsequent stage. In order that’s large. So he’s received to maintain empowering that. We’re telling him when he’s doing properly, get him some suggestions when he’s not doing properly. However (Sunday evening) was glorious.”
Sunday’s recreation was pushed again two hours to air in NBC’s 8 p.m. timeslot, making for a good faster turnaround for Boston. Celtics-Bucks will tip off at 6:30 p.m. native time (7:30 p.m. ET).
Queta’s relaxation day might push veteran heart Nikola Vucevic into the beginning lineup for the primary time since his commerce to Boston in early February. Vucevic, who has 11 factors and 12 rebounds towards the 76ers, has performed properly on Boston’s second unit, although Brown continues to induce him to play extra aggressively on the offensive finish.
Mazzulla additionally might give the nod to 3rd heart Luka Garza, who was pushed out of the rotation following Vucevic’s arrival. Over a 23-game stretch from Dec. 20 to Feb. 4, Garza scored in double figures 14 occasions and averaged 3.0 offensive rebounds per recreation.
Boston’s frontcourt will face a stiff problem towards the scuffling Bucks, as two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is expected to return to the lineup after lacking five-plus weeks with a calf pressure, per a report from ESPN’s Shams Charania.
As for Tatum, he’s not but able to return from Achilles surgical procedure however might make his season debut as early as this week. Tatum has mentioned his first recreation again could be at TD Backyard, and the Celtics are set to host the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday and Dallas Mavericks on Friday.
Second-year Celtics wing Baylor Scheierman, who played through a fractured thumb Sunday evening, was not listed on the staff’s newest damage report.
